Improvement in processes for reducing zinc ores



s. WBVTHBRILL. METHOD 0F BTAINING METALLIC ZINC FROMvTHE RBS OP ZINC.

No. 16,362. l PatentedJamu 6, 1857.

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` UNITED STATES -PATENT OFFICE;

SAMUEL WETHERILL, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES FOR REDUCING ZINC ORIES.

Specification forming'part of Letters Patent No. 16,362, ldated lanuary 6, 1857.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL WETHERILL, of Bethlehem, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new'and useful Improvement in the Method of Obtaining Metallic Zinc from the Ores of Zinc; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, makingpart of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation; Fig. 2, a back elevation; Fig. 3, a longitudinal vertical sec-v tion taken at the line A a of Fig. 1;- Figs. 4

and 5, cross vertical sections taken at the lin'es B b and C c of Fig. 3; Fig. 6, atop view with the two arches removed to exhibit the several chambers and some ofthe dues; Fig. 7, a horizontal section taken at the lline D d of Fig. 3, and Fig. '8 is a section of one of the inutiles to represent the manner of obtaining when treating the mixed ores of zinc and lead.

The same letters indicate like parts in all the figures. l

The object of my invention is to obtain metallic zinc directly from'the ores of that metal alone or mixed with the ores of other metals; and my said invention consists in causing the metallic vapors of zinc when driven off from the ore or ores by heat to pass through a charge 0f heated or incandescent coal or other carbonaceous matter in an oven or chamber` from which atmospheric air is excluded.

The construction of furnace which Ihave invented and applied for the working of my improved process. is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which a is a'iire-chamber with a grateor perforated bed, b, and ashpit c below, provided with a door, d, in front and a hole, e, at the side for the entrance of air to supply combustion. From the upper parts of4 this firechamber a fine, f, rises,

which communicates with a space between two arches, g and h, the one, g, constituting the top ofthe furnace, and the other, h, the topor` cover of two muiiles, i i-one ou each sideand n .deoxidizing-chambenj, in lthe middle; and the arch h is pierced at the two back corners that the products of combustion, aftei` passing between the two arches, may divide and pass down two diving-lines, k k, at the back corners, und these ducs in turn communi-` onta with horizontal ilues l l, oneunder each of the mufes i, and these two in turn communicate with a central return-flue, m, lead ing to a suitable'chimney. Themuffles c' 'i are inclosed onall sides except a feeding-door, n, in front for the introduction of and access to the charge, and a long, narrow passage, o, between. the arch h and the upper edge of the walls p p, which separate each of the muffles from the. deoxidizing-chamberj; and the said deoxidizing-chamber j is open along the upper edge of its side walls, as already explained, and it is provided with a perforated bed, g, and a channel-way, r, below the perforated bed. Access is given to this deoxidizingchamber through a door, s, at the back, and the channel-way 1.' below communicates at the back with a condenser, t, into which the metallic zinc is collected from the channel-way. This condenser is curved at bottom and sides, as at u, to give it capacity, and the extremity of 'it is provided with 'a prolong,"o, having 'a small hole in the extreme end, and `above this prolong thereis' a short tube, w, provided with a stopper placed in line with the vaperture or neclgwhich coinmunicates'with vthe channelway, so that by removing the stopper access may be given to the neck and channel-way for the purpose of inserting a rod to keep the.

passage clear when necessary. The'c'ond'enser isplaced over the iiue m, which leads Vto the chimney, to keep it at a temperature sufficiently high toprevent the metallic zinc from solidifying. The ores-of zinc to be treated are pulverized or ground and calcined,

but without a flux, simply to expel moisture.

and such impurities as will be drivenA off by heat alone; and then it is mixed with about one-half its weight of fine coal or other carbonaceous matter.

The'furnace having been heated by a suitable fire in the fire-chamber a, excited either by draft or blast, the deoxidizing-chamber is charged with chestnut size anthracite coal, charcoal, or coke, or other suitable carbon.. I prefer to fill it from the perforatedbed to the top of the side walls. The coal in this ovenlike chamber is heated to an incandescent state bythe fire in the lfire-chamber and the passage of the products of combustion around it. The mixed ore and coal is charged to the depth of about twelve inches in each of the muftles, and when so charged the doors should be closed and luted to exclude atmospheric air as much as possible. The heat applied by the products of combustion from the rechamber a,.passin g over and under the mnfies, decomposes the ore and vaporizes the metal, andthe vapors thus given off pass over int'othe deoxidizing-chamber and through the charge of incandescent coal or other carbon, which takes up any oxygen which may have been or which might be taken up by the vapors of zinc befo re they reach the channel-way fr,where they are condensed to the metallic state and run into the condenser from which the metal is taken out with ailadle. During the working of the charge the prolong f1: is kept on the condenser, and at the extreme end this pro- ,long is pierced with a smallhole for the escape of foreign gases, which are not taken up by the carbon, and thus relieve the apparatus from pressure. The aperture should belarge enough to relieve the pressure and not large enough lo permit the entrance of atmospheric alr.

If desired, the condenser may be tapped in the lower part for the more convenient dis-` charge oi' the metal at u.

Vhen metallic zinc is to be obtained from the ores of zinc mixed with lead ore, I make the bed of the muffles inclining downward .toward the doors, as represented inthe separate ligure, S, and discharging into a pot, yw', near the door, int-o which the molten lead runs.

Thispot should be covered to prevent the charge of ore and coal from. falling into it.

In this way I am enabled to obtain metallic zinc and metallic lead from the same charge and with the same fuel; and although I have described and represented a form of furnace in which 4to Work my improved process, and which I have found to answer agood purpose, I do not Wish to be understood as limiting my claim of invention tothe Working of the process in such a furnace, as other equivalent furnaces may be found to answer. the purpose. I do not claim the'said charcoal or carbonaceous matter for condensing in or upon it the said zinc vapor.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, in the processo. obtaining metallic zinc directly from the ores of zinc, is-

Causing'the metallic vapors of `zinc driven off from the ore by heat to pass through a charge of heated or incandescent c oal oroth'er carbonaceous matter, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

SAML. WETHERILL.

Witnesses:

ALEX. PORTER BRowNE, JAs. J. MAPns. 

